Apparatus for applying metal cases to bricks



Dec. 28, 1948. c, YOUNG 2,457,766

APPARATUS FOR APPLYING METAL CASES TO BRICKS Filed June 9, 1947 2 Sheds-Sheet l Dec. 28, 1948. c. 1. YOUNG 2,457,766

APPARATUS FOR APPLYING METAL CASES TO BRICKS Fiied June 9; 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 the case whenna.lbloekwis-zzelevated:rintonit.

Patented Dec. 28, 1948 SAPBARATIIS EQR APPLYING' METAL CASES TO BRICKS aGlair'IxYoung, Pittsburgh-Par, assignorito Harbisow-Walker Refractories Company, Pittsburgh, Pa.,-: a corporation 20f Pennsylvania Application lunew, 1947, Serial Nob'753g583 15 Claims.

i This invention-relates to app araitus. for" applyingmetal casestd bricks.

In certaininstances rfra'ctoryl bricks for a industrial furnaces are partly enclosed iin individual-metal cases. such bricks -are maide 'of nonacid refractory material-such as magnesite, spinel, chrome ore, -o1ivine, or a mixture of these- -and usually are-not fired efore being laidmp, 'BThe high temperature of 'the -furnace fires the'ibricks and causes: adjoining metal e-ases to f-use -with one another arid-with the? bricks, :wherebyran integral structure is 5 formed. '1-he mst common the form of 'a. channel. Before application to a brick; the flanges of the" case 'icon'verge toward their free dges-so that they wil1fihave to be sprung apart 1 in order -to perniit a refi' actory brick to the-inserted 'between them. wh'eni the flanges are rele ased, they "spring iriwardly and tightly grip the tbrickfihereby holdingfi the briek and case together. 1

"It: is "among the: obiectsof' this invention to provide apparatus forspreading such eases open mechanically so that they came applied to refractory bricks; which automatically feeds successive'casesi into brick receiving-position whi'ch automatically inserts successive bricks "the cases,andi.which can xbe' assooiated i iith a brick .press so that: 'thei zbrick sare easedi-autom atieally asthey leave the press.

'1 In accordance with thisinven'ti'on, a pair of substantiaHyparal leT traeks are' pro'vicled forisupverging "flanges Band: highrenough to liitithe case .1 out .of engagement with the tracks, hereupon the *fiangesrwill' springii war'dlyagainst' 'the sides :Of the block: and "the e'ncased blocktlie1r"can-be lowered'.between ithe=.tracks. "The tracks-prefer- 'ably are mounted onitherside walls ofia boxiwhich has an Open end andt bottom. :lThe box may; be

, providedwithv verticallyrmovablermeans fori'n'ormally holding ,a case :.down -'.'OI1 the tracks, *vbut which is capable of being pushed upwardly by The box also may be-provided:withmeans-thatwill insure centering the'caseib etwen'thedaraeksiwhen the1iiangeszare released-siromtthm. Itizishpre- 52 ferred to feed. (the cases; one at a time; from the *bottom f? a stack of them d-isposed a hopper. %-With such anarrangemenLthe bottom 'of 'the 1 rhopperrisw connectedito theiiparallel tracks "menitioned: above*by?divergin rtracks lwhich gradually spread thecaseflanges-apart asthe'caseispushed toward: the .aparallelttracks. t-Mo'st .suitably, the cases 'are-pushed out zof-atheihopperibyl fluid pres- "sure operated; 1means;:":and'i fluid pressure :may be used for raising" theazbricks intoi the cases whose 1 fiangesiwhave zbeen ispread i apart. -By "mounting this apparatus onthe front 'of. a brick pre'ss, 1 the, bricks formed :in theupre'ssfcanwbe pushed .adirectly onto: theztbrickeliftingumeans sand then sliftedsintd the channels=above (it.

Thezpreferredx embodiment 50f lithe! invention is illustrated in the zeaccompanying:fdrawings in =which 'Fig. Luisraafragmentary front viewoi a MbIiCK pIBSS with my acasing apparatus attached to it;l-Fig. 2 is arshorizontalisectionrtaken on the ,:line.:II-+-II f :Fig.: 1 Fig.i-:3 is a vertica1-= section taken :on the: line-.III-l-III of Fig. 1 ;Y'.Fig." 4 is an end viewrshowing a'ribrick inserted 'inwa caseiand side; frames 2-of which itwis bolted; anda shorter horizontal bar? 3 welded to" the first baribyz a-pair :of vertical triangular plates 4. 2 This bracketsupports :a box-likehousing 61in front of the'cent'er 0f1 the; press and, justifara enough above the "level =ofthe press table"! to 'fpermit' abrick 8:.toibe .wmoved' beneath the housing. :The housing; ha a top plate!) bolted toibar 3: above it' andwtoaa pair 40f depending side plates 10,

Bolted against the? inner surfaces 10f: the side plates along their lower .edges' are parallel 'I rails 12 ;-adapted to support thedowerrdges :of the downwardly extendin nilanges I3 :of ta channel shape sheet metal case :-'which is .to be aappliecl to a brickrm-adein the; press. 7 As showninFig. \3; the tracks thus formedarezspaced apart farther than the upperv portions of the case flangesfiand. eextenda-short distance up @into the case to spring .theflanges tout into; downwardly diverging: position. FThediStance betweenthezupper portions 'ofwthe flanges is'ssub'stantiallyi'the sameasthe Width: of the: brick tbut the'flanges initially conu vergerdownwardly; as shownain Fig."5, so thata abrick can i not be: inserted betweenthem i without first 'spreadin'g them' apart.

The empty case is held down on the tracks by means of a plurality of rollers 15 journaled in a hold-down plate IS. The rollers roll against the top of the case as it is pushed into one end of the housing. The hold-down plate is pressed downwardly by coil springs ll encircling headed studs l8 slidably mounted in the top of the housing. For a purpose to be described later, the side plates of the housing are provided immediately above the tracks with openings therethrough in each of which slides a cup-like centering member 20 having a pointed inner end that engages the adjoining flange of the case, as shown in Fig. 3. Disposed in each of these members and compressed between it and a cap 2| welded to the outside of the adjoining side plate is a coil spring 22 which urges the centering member inwardly.

In order to move a case into the position shown in Fig. 3, it is pushed into one end of the housing and along the tracks. To enable this to be done easily, a horizontalcover plate 25, about as long as a case, is supported by the right-hand end of bracket bar 3 and has depending side flanges that support a pair of side plates 26 extending from the adjacent ends of housing side plates Hi to a point beyond the cover plate and the side of the press. The lower surface of the cover plate lies in the lower plane of the hold-down member in the housing. Fastened against the inner surfaces of side plates 26 near their lower edges are rails 21, the tops of which are adapted to support the lower edges of the case flanges. Secured to the inner surfaces of the rails are a pair of metal strips 28 standing on edge and extending a short distance above the rails, whereby tracks are formed for the cases. The front ends of these tracks are in alignment with the parallel tracks in the housing, but the metal trips and the tops of rails 21 converge as they extend away from the housing until they reach a point below the right-hand end of cover plate .5. From this point rearwardly the strips are parallel and close enough together to permit the converging flanges of a case to fit down over them and rest on the rails supporting the strips. Extending upwardly above these narrower parallel sections of the track is a hopper 29 of any desired height and of a size and shape to receive a stack of the metal cases, each having its flanges resting on the case below as shown in Fig. 1.

For feeding cases from the hopper to housing 6, a slide 3! is slidably mounted in grooves extending lengthwise of the inner surfaces of the two rails 21. The front end of this slide is rigidly connected by a bracket 32 to the front end of a piston rod 33 projecting from a fluid pressure cylinder 34 attached to the front of the press by means of a bracket 36. The rear end of the slide supports a pusher having an upright front member 31 from the top of which a horizontal plate 38 extends rearwardly. This plate forms a table on which the stack of cases can rest when the pusher pushes the bottom case out from under the stack, thereby preventing a case from dropping down behind the upright member.

Assuming that the pusher is in its retracted position in which the upright member 31 will be located directly behind the bottom case resting on parallel rails 27 in the hopper, the apparatus is started in operation by admitting fluid pres sure to the rear end of the cylinder 34 in order to move slide 3| and the pusher forward. The front of the pusher slidesthe bottom case in the stack from the hopper and along the diverging 4 sively sprung farther apart. The case is held down on the tracks by cover plate 25 against which the top of the case slides. As this case leaves the hopper, the remaining cases in the stack drop down on the table portion of the pusher where they are supported until the pusher is retracted by admitting-fluid; pressure to the front end of the cylinder. Then the lower case in the stack drops down in front of the pusher.

When the pusher again moves forward, this second case that it pushes out of the hopper pushes the case that was left on the diverging tracks for- Ward along the parallel tracks 12 in housing 6, while the second case moves along the divering tracks Where it is left while the pusher moves back preparatory to moving the third case forward.

Before the third case is pushed out of the hopper, a refractory brick is elevated into the first case now located in the housing with its flanges spread apart as shown Fig. 3. This is accomplished by a lifting plate ll mounted on the upper end of a piston rod 32 extending down into a fluid pressure cylinder 43 attached to the front of the press. The plate is guided by pins 44 extending down through bushings 16 also connected to the front of the press. In its lower position, the top of this plate is on a level with the press table so that when a brick is ejected from the press and slid across the table it will be received by the plate directly below housing 6. Fluid pressure then is admitted to the lower end of cylinder 43 in order to raise. the plate with the brick on it. The brick is lifted up between tracks l2 and rises high enough in the housing to engage the top of the case and raise the hold-down member against the resistance of springs IT. This Withdraws the case flanges I?! from the tracks, and the flanges immediately spring inwardly against the opposite sides of the brick to the position shown in Fig. 4. The centering members 28 follow the flanges and insure that the cased brick will be centered between the sides of the housing so that when plate 4| is lowered by the release of pressure from cylinder 43, the encased brick will descend with the plate between the parallel tracks.

When the next brick is ejected from the press it pushes the encased brick off plate 4! and onto a slide All. In the meantime, the second empty case has been pushed into the empty housing 6 by the case behind it. This operation of first moving a case into the housing and then lifting a brick into the case is repeated as long as desired, it being understood that it is timed with the operation of the press so that each successive brick ejected from the press is provided with a metal case. The timing can be effected in any suitable manner, such as by a cam (not shown), actuated by the moving parts of the press, which controls the valves that control the flow of fluid under pressure to and from cylinders 34 and 43.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle and construction of my invention and have illustrated and described What I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for applying a channel shape sheet metal case with downwardly extending flanges to a refractory brick that is wider than the space between the lower edges of the flanges, comprisrenames ing a pair of substantially parallek-tra'cks adapted.

to support the lower edges of the flanges of. such a case andto projectlasshort distanceiuplintoit, said tracks being spaced apart 'fartherfithanthe upper portions of the case flanges, :means "for pushing a case lengthwise :onto said tracks fto spring the case Iflan'ges outwardly into downwardly diverging position, andmeansaiadapted ;to

lift a refractory brick up=betweenitheidiverging flanges high enough to ilift=them out i of engagement with said tracks, whereby the flanges will spring inwardly againstf the sides of: theF-briok" and the encased brick can "be lowered between the tracks.

2. Apparatus for applying a :channel shape sheet metal case with downwardly extending flanges to a reiractorybrick that is widerithan the space between the'lower edges ofithe-ilanges,

comprising a, pair of substantially parallel tracks adapted to support the: lowergedges ofithe: flanges of such a case-and to project'a short distance up into it, said .tracks being spaced apart farther than the upper portions of the case flanges; means for pushing a caselengthwise onto said tracks-to spring the case flanges outwardly into downwardly diverging position, vertically jmovable means for normally holding .a' case' down on said tracks, and means adapted to liftla refractory brick up between the diverging flanges high enough to raise said vertically movable means and to lift the case out of engagement Withsaidtracks, whereby the case flanges will spring inwardly against the sides "ofthe'brick andzthef encased brick can be lowered between *thetracks.

3. Apparatus for -applying a :jchannel shape;

sheet ;metal -.case 'with downwardly textending flanges to a refractory brick that is wider than the space between: theplowereedges either-flan es,

comprising a,pair of?substantially-parallel tracks adapted to supportthe lower edges of the; flanges of such a case andito; project ashortdistanee up 'into it, said ttracks being "spaced 'apart farther than the upper; portions otthe case'flanges; means for, pushing a case lengthwiseontogsaid tracks; to

spring-the case fianges outwardly:into-downwardly diverging position, a vertically movableholddown member adaptedtto, rest on topof a caseon said. tracks, resilient meansmressing saidi member if downwardly, and means adapted ito lift a refractory brick upqbetween-lthe diverging flanges high enough to-raise said member-land to lift the case out of engagementwithsaidtracks -whereby the case flanges will spring inwardlypagainst-the sidesv of the brickwandetheenoased brick, can be lowered between the tracks.

lnnpparatus for applying a zehann'el shape sheet metal case with downwardly eXte-nding flanges to a refractory "brick that-is ,w-ider than the space between the lower. edges-of the flanges, comprising apair of substantially-parallel tracks adapted to support the lower edges-,of the flanges of such a case and to project a short distanee up into it, said tracks being spaced apart; farther than the upper portions of thecase flanges, means i or pushing acase lengthwise onto saidtracks to spring the case flanges outwardly into: downwardly diverging position, means adaptedato lift a refractory brick up between the diverging. flanges high enough to lift themout oflengagement with tracks, whereby theflangesewill spring7 inwardly against the sides-of thesbrick and the encased brick can be lowered between: the: tracks, and means adaptedto center thegcase -between the tracks when said flanges iarerreleasedttherefrom. v

t6 r5. mpparatus ifor applying a channel shape :sheet metal case with "downwardly extending l flanges i to a J-refractory brick j that 'is wider than :the spacezbetween thelowers edges of the flanges, comprising: a pair of substantially parallel tracks adapted tosupport vthelower edges of the flanges of suchxa-case andito project: a short distance up .into -it, :said tracks being spaced apart farther than the upper portions of the case flanges, means zforzpushinga casealengthwise onto said tracks to esprin-gthe case flanges outwardly intodownwardlly diverging position, means adapted to lift L a irefriactorybrick up between the diverging'flanges irhigh enough .tOfllfl}, them out :of engagement :with

'15 :said 1 tracks, whereby a the .flanges will spring inmardly against theisides of the brick and the {encased brick can bezlowered between the tracks, :and spring biased means disposed above the tracks uand'iadapted'toengage the outer surfaces of the flanges .lof'zarcase tocenter it between'theitracks :wh'en sai'diilangesgare released from the tracks. 16.:Appara'tus .forapplying a channel shape :zsheet :metal 1 case with downwardly extending 'sfiangesato,'a'refractory brick that is wider than a'the' space betweenflthe lower edges of :the flanges, comprising a housing provided with substantially iparallel sidewalls and an open end and bottom, a: pair of 'tracks in thehousing mounted on-the lowerportions of its sidewalls and adaptedto .snpporttthe v lower edges ofthe flanges of a case and .topro'ject a .shortadistance up into it,-said :tracks'being spaced apart farther than the upper portions ofthe case'flangea means for pushing "a. case lengthwise into' said open end of the housf-ing and along said tracks to-springthe case i flanges outwardly into downwardly diverging por'sition, and means adapted'to lift a refractory rbrick up between the diverging flanges high enough to lift them out of engagement with said 40 tracks, whereby the flanges willspring inwardly againstthe sides ofthe brick and the: encased *brickecan becloweredbetween the tracks to removeiit rfrom the housing.

7. Apparatus for applying a channel shape sheet metal case with downwardly extending flanges/to a-refractorybrickthat is wider than the space betweenthe' lower edges of the flanges, .icomprising-a box'provided with substantially par- :allel'sidewalls and an open end andbottom, a

pair of tracks-in the box mounted on thelower :portions of'its sidewalls and adapted to support the'loweredges-of the flanges of a case and to a-p'roject-a short distance up-into it, said tracks being :spaoed apartfarther than the upper-portions=o"f the caseflanges, means for pushinga '--.case-l engthwise-into-saidopen end of the box sand; along; said tracks to spring the case flanges noutwarcllyjintodownwardly diverging position; a

' r vertically movable hold down member disposed in 0 the upper part of the box and adapted to engage thertop of-acaseon said track s, resilient means i-a-bove said: member for-r pressing it downwardly, vand means adapted to" lift-;a refractorybrick up between the -:diverging flanges high enough ,to

--raise said-memberiand to lift the case out of 7 tracks in the box mounted on the lower portions of its side walls and adapted to support the lower edges of the flanges of a case and to project a short distance up into it, said tracks being spaced apart farther than the upper portions of the case flanges, means for pushing a case lengthwise into said open end of the box and along said tracks to spring the case flanges outwardly into downwardly diverging position, means adapted to lift a refractory brick up between the diverging flanges high enough to lift them out of engagement with said tracks, whereby the flanges will spring inwardly against the sides of the brick and the encased brick can be lowered between the tracks, and resilient means inside the box connected to its side walls above said tracks and adapted to be compressed by said diverging flanges, said resilient means expanding and centering the case between the side walls when the case flanges are released from the tracks.

9. Apparatus for applying a channel shape sheet metal case downwardly extending flanges to a refractory brick that is wider than. the space between the lower edges of the flanges, comprising a pair of substantially parallel tracks adapted to support the lower edges of the flanges of such a case and to project a short distance up into it, said tracks being spaced apart farther than the upper portions of the case flanges, means at one end of said tracks for receiving a case, means for. pushing the case from said receiving means lengthwise onto said tracks to spring the case flanges outwardly into downwardly diverging position, and means adapted to lift a refractory brick up between the diverging flanges high enough to lift them out of engagement with said tracks, whereby the flanges will spring inwardly against the sides of the brick and the encased brick can be lowered between the tracks.

10. Apparatus for applying a channel shape sheet metal case with downwardly extending flanges to a refractory brick that is wider than the space between the lower edges of the flanges, comprising a pair of substantially parallel tracks adapted to support the lower edges of the flanges of such a case and to project a short distance up into it, said tracks being spaced apart farther than the upper portions of the case flanges, means spaced from one end of said tracks for receiving a case, means for pushing the case from said receiving means lengthwise onto said tracks to spring the case flanges outwardly into down wardly diverging position, guide tracks adapted to engage the inside of the case flanges and support their lower edges, the guide tracks diverging &

from said case-receiving means to said parallel tracks so as to gradually spread the case flanges apart as they are moved toward the parallel tracks, and means adapted to lift a refractory brick up between the diverging case flanges high enough to lift them out of engagement with said parallel tracks, whereby the flanges will spring inwardly against the sides of the brick and the encased brick can be lowered between the tracks.

11. Apparatus for applying a channel shape sheet metal case with downwardly extending flanges to a refractory brick that is wider than the space between the lower edges of the flanges, comprising a pair of substantially parallel tracks adapted to support the lower edges of the flanges of such a case and to project a short distance up into it, said tracks being spaced apart farther than the upper portions of the case flanges, means for pushing a case lengthwise onto said tracks to spring the case flanges outwardly into downwardly diverging position, a vertically movable horizontal plate narrower than the space between said tracks and normally located below the tracks a: distance greater than the thickness of said brick, means at one side of the tracks adapted to push a brick laterally onto said plate, and .means for raising the plate to lift a brick thereon up between the diverging flanges high enough to lift them out of engagement with said tracks, whereby the flanges will spring inwardly against the sides of the brick so that said plate can lower the encased brick between the tracks.

12. Apparatus for applying a channel shape sheet metal case with downwardly extending flanges to a refractory brick that is wider than the space between the lower edges of the flanges, comprising a pair of substantially parallel tracks adapted to support the lower edges of the flanges of such a case and to project a short distance up into it, said tracks being spaced apart farther than the upper portions of the case flanges, means for pushing a case lengthwise onto said tracks to spring the case flanges outwardly into downwardly diverging position, a vertically movable horizontal hold-down plate, rollers mounted in said plate and adapted to engage the top of a case on said tracks, springs pressing said plate downwardly, and means adapted to lift a refractory brick up between the diverging flanges high enough to raise said plate and to lift the case out of engagement with said tracks, whereby the case flanges will spring inwardly against the sides of the brick and the encased brick can be lowered between the tracks.

13. Apparatus for applying a channel shape sheet metal case with downwardly extending flanges to a refractory brick that is wider than the space between the lower edges of the flanges, comprising a box provided with substantially parallel side walls and an open end and bottom, a pair of tracks in the box mounted on the lower portions of its side walls and adapted to support the lower edges of the flanges of a case and to project a short distance up into it, said tracks being spaced apart farther than the upper portions of the case flanges, means for pushing a case lengthwise into said open end of the box and along said tracks to spring the case flanges outwardly into downwardly diverging position, means adapted to lift a refractory brick up betweenthe diverging flanges high enough to lift them out of engagement with said tracks, whereby the flanges will spring inwardly against the sides of the brick and the encased brick can be lowered between the tracks, the side walls of the box being provided with openings above said tracks, centering members slidably mounted in said openings and adapted to engage said diverging flanges, and springs pressing said members inwardly to center the case between the side walls when the case flanges are released from the tracks.

14. Apparatus for applying a channel shape sheet metal case with downwardly extending flanges to a refractory brick that is wider than the space between the lower edges of the flanges, comprising a pair of substantially parallel tracks adapted to support the lower edges of the flanges of such a case and to project a short distance up into it, said tracks being spaced apart farther than the upper portions of the case flanges, a hopper for receiving a stack of such cases, a reciprocating pusher for pushing the bottom case of the stack lengthwise from said hopper forward onto said tracks to spring the case flanges outwardly into downwardly diverging position, said pusher having an elevated table portion extending rearwardly for holding up the rest of the cases while the bottom case is being pushed forward, and means adapted to lift a refractory brick .up between said divering case flanges high enough to lift them out of engagement with said tracks, whereby the flanges will spring inwardly against the sides of the brick and the encased brick ca be lowered between the tracks.

15. Apparatus for applying a channel shape sheet metal case with downwardly extending flanges to a refractory brick that is wider than the space between the lower edges of the flanges, comprising a pair of substantially parallel tracks adapted to support the lower edges of the flanges of such a case and to project a short distance up into it, said tracks being spaced apart farther than the upper portions of the case flanges, a hopper spaced from one end of the tracks for receiving a stack of such cases, tracks at the bottom of the hopper adapted to support the lower edges of the bottom case in the stack, guide 10 tracks adapted to engage the inside of the case flanges and support their lower edges, the guide tracks diverging from the hopper tracks to said parallel tracks, a pusher in the bottom of the hopper reciprocable along the hopper tracks for pushing the bottom case of the stack from the hopper forward along the guide tracks to said parallel tracks where" the case flanges are sprung outwardly into downwardly diverging position, said pusher having an elevated table portion extending rearwardly for holding up the rest of the cases while the bottom case is being pushed out of the hopper, and means adapted to lift a refractory brick up between said diverging case flanges high enough to lift them out of engagement with said parallel tracks, whereby the flanges will spring inwardly against the sides of the brick and the encased brick can be lowered between the tracks.

CLAIR I. YOUNG.

No references cited. 

